Oil-cloth rack.



G. F. RHOADS.

OlL CLOTH RACK.

APPLICATION FliED JAN. 16', 1913.

Patented Oct. 31,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

m: Nnkms PETERS ca. PNOYU-LIYNQ. wAsmNcmN. o c

INVENTOR A Home G. F. RHOADS.

OIL CLOTH RACK. APPLICATION FILED JAN. l6, I913. 1,203,268. V Patented Oct. 31,1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

GEORGE F. RHOAIDS, OF CARTHAGE, MISSOURI.

OIL-CLOTH RACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1916.

Application filed January 16, 1913. Serial No. 742,441.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE F. RHoADs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Carthage, in the county of Jasper and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oil-Cloth Racks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a merchants oil cloth rack and has for its object to provide asimple and economical device designed for use in retail stores for holding and measuring table oil cloth.

\Vith the foregoing object in view the invention consists in the novel features of construction illustrated in the drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings :-Figure 1 is a front elevation of an oil cloth rack embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a side or edge view thereof. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section. Fig. is a detail sectional view showing the cam lever for holding the clamping bar in place and Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the clamping bar, the cam lever and associated parts.

Referring to the drawings for a more particular description of the invention, the rack comprises an upright frame consisting of the side pieces 1 and 2, the back wall 3 and the top and bottom pieces 4: and 5, respectively. The frame is braced or reinforced at each corner by the angle brace 6 of iron or other suitable metal. The side pieces 1 and 2 are provided in their inner walls with a series of downwardly inclined grooves 7 which are spaced equi-distances apart with the grooves in one side wall registering with those in the opposite side wall, as shown in Fig. 1.

The grooves 7 are designed to receive and hold the ends of a series of transversely disposed vertically spaced rods 8, each adapted to support a roll, as 9, of oil cloth.

It will be observed that the manner in which the grooves are formed hold the rods in place and prevent them and the rolls of oil cloth from slipping out of the frame or casing.

In carrying out the invention, a-wooden roller 10 is mounted in the casing at a point intermediate of the height thereof. The roller may be mounted in any suitable manner, as for example, by means of a bearing rod 11 extending through the center of the roller with its ends fitting in sockets 12 in the side walls of the casing. The purpose of the roller 10 will be hereinafter disclosed.

The rack further comprises a metal bar 13 of rectangular oblong form which extends transversely of the casing just beneath the roller 10 with the ends of the bar fitting in recesses let in the front edges of the side walls of the casing. A clamping bar 15 is hinged or pivoted at one end as at 16, to the metal bar 13 and is adapted to swing in a vertical plane, as indicated in Fig. 1, from clamping position to an out-of-the-way position. The purpose of the clamping bar 15 is to hold the oil cloth securely in place after a certain amount has been measured in order that the cloth may be cut straight. A cam lever 17 is pivoted, as at 18, in the bifurcated lug 19 of the support 20 and when said lever is turned to the dotted line position indicated in Fig. 4, it clamps the bar 15 against the oil cloth.

In measuring off a strip of oil cloth from a roll, the roller 10 will keep the cloth out of contact with the metal bar 13. After the desired amount of cloth is measured off, which may be determined by employing a series of measuring tacks 21 arranged along the front edge of the side wall 1, the clamping bar 15 is swung into the horizontal position shown in Fig. 1 and the cloth clamped between the bars 13 and 15 by the cam lever 17. This will securely hold the cloth after the desired amount is measured off from the roll and a straight out may be made just above the upper edge of the clamping bar which may be used as a guide. When the handle of the cam lever 17 is turned down, as in the full line position indicated in Fig. 1, the clamping bar 15 is released and swings down to an out-of-the-way position. The free end of the cloth may then be rewound on the roll.

It is obvious that any desired finish may be used or that the rack may be hinged to the wall of the store-room in such a manner that it may be swung out to exhibit or sell the cloth. The rack may be made stationary or mounted on casters, as desired.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings, it is thought that the construction and advantages of this invention will be readily understood withciples or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having described my invention What I claim as new is An oil cloth rack, comprising a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal alined cloth reeling or rotary members a horizontal cloth bearing roller offset with respect to and arranged intermediate said reeling members, a straight edge bar fixed slightly beloW and With respect to said bearing roller, a clamping bar pivoted at one end to said straight edge bar, a bracket arranged near the opposite end of said straight edge bar, said bracket having an outstanding rightangled arm adapted to receive the adjacent end of said straight edge bar and the free end of the clamping bar, the depending portion of said bracket being slotted longitudinally and a cam-lever having its cam portion pivoted in the depending slotted portion of said bracket to engage and hold the clamping bar in clamping position against a strip of cloth measured off of any of the cloth reeling 0r rotary members, during the cutting operation.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature 1n presence of two Witnesses.

GEORGE F. RHOADS.

Witnesses EDWIN L. SHARON, ALLIGE H. BEAM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

